Molinari to receive Elmer Ferguson Award

Dave Molinari, who has covered the Pittsburgh Penguins since the summer of 1983, was announced as the 2009 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award and will be honored at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in November.

Most fans of the Washington Capitals have pretty strong opinions about that rival organization, but people should know that Molinari and longtime Caps beat writer Dave Fay were close friends. It was easy to see why, given their incredibly similar personalities.

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“Since 1984 Dave Molinari has been telling the Pittsburgh Penguins story with the perfect blend of insightful analysis and entertaining prose,” said PHWA President Kevin Allen. “The fans of Pittsburgh of been fortunate to have highly skilled players such as Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. And they have been equally fortunate to have a highly skilled writer such as Dave to chronicle their successes. With his dry wit, Dave is also the leading press box humorist in the hockey writing community. He is one of the most respected hockey writers in the game today.”

This honor is much-deserved for Molinari, who I can honestly say is one of my favorite people I’ve met since I started covering the Caps. I am sure Tarik and Vogs and the other journliasts from Washington will join me in congratulating Dave Monlinari on this award. Hopefully his plaque will be next to or very near Fay’s in the Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Longtime broadcaster and current St. Louis Blues president John Davidson is the Foster Hewitt Award winner and will be honored along with Molinari.